Analysis of a Novel Improved BIPV/T Roof Tile Design

A novel design of a building-integrated photovoltaic and solar thermal (BIPV/T) roof tile with rear ventilation and heat recovery is presented. The design tackles application-specific technological issues of commercial solar roof tiles like accessibility. The aim of this paper is to analyse state-of-the-art BIPV/T roof tile designs with rear ventilation and heat recovery presented in papers or commercially available and compare them with the proposed design. The evaluation is performed by a rating matrix including technological, economic and aesthetic criteria and requirements like for instance accessing the solar modules without damaging the solar cells. The roof tiles are easily accessible to installers due to their small size. Moreover, the replacement of a single roof tile in state-of-the-art designs requires dismantling of the entire row or even of the entire roof. In contrast, in the novel design the use of an innovative aluminium frame enables replacement of a single roof tile.